Hybrid-type Engine Generator Controller

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a controller of a hybrid-type engine generator that is driven by a battery and an engine and incorporates an engine generator unit.

BACKGROUND ART

Since an increase in load output demand from an engine generator causes engine speed to increase, it results in increased noise. Generally in a hybrid-type engine generator, a decline in battery residual charge (state of charge) is often dealt with by increasing engine speed in order to charge the battery, so that noise increases in the high load region. So the technology of Patent Document 1 was developed to inhibit such engine speed rise related to the hybrid-type engine generator.

The technology of Patent Document 1 is adapted on the one hand to respond to battery output being of predetermined value or greater by holding engine speed constant to generate fixed power output while simultaneously making up for any shortfall with battery output and on the other hand to respond to battery output having fallen below predetermined value by gradually increasing engine speed to gradually increase generated power output while simultaneously decreasing battery output.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

Patent Document

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-234458A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

Patent Document 1 adopts the aforesaid configuration in order to avoid noise increase by inhibiting engine speed increase. The present invention is similarly directed to providing a hybrid-type engine generator controller adapted to avoid noise increase by inhibiting engine speed increase.

Means for Solving the Problem

The invention provides an inverter generator controller having a battery and an engine generator unit driven by the engine and equipped with a power conversion unit including an alternator and an inverter having switching elements, a DC-DC converter connected between the battery and the power conversion unit and an electrical load connected to the engine generator unit, comprising: a battery SOC detecting unit that detects residual charge of the battery; a generated power output detecting unit that detects generated power output of the engine generator unit; a load output demand detecting/control unit that detects load output demand from the electrical load connected to the electrical load and ON-OFF controls the switching elements of the inverter so that AC power outputted from the inverter matches the detected load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load at desired frequency; a charge implementation unit that implements low-load charging of the battery if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is equal to or greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is less than a predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery is equal to or less than a first threshold value unless the battery is determined to be fully charged from the detected residual charge of the battery; and a charge termination unit that terminates low-load charging of the battery when the detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram generally illustrating a hybrid-type engine generator controller according to an embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing structural details of an engine generator unit and other elements of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing operation of the engine generator controller of FIG. 1 ; and

FIG. 4 is a time chart for explaining the processing of FIG. 3 flowchart.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A hybrid-type engine generator controller according to an embodiment of this invention is explained with reference to the attached drawings in the following.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram generally illustrating a hybrid-type engine generator controller according to an embodiment of this invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing structural details of an engine generator unit and other elements of FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , a hybrid-type engine generator (hereinafter sometimes called “generator”) 1 comprises an engine 10 , an engine generator unit 12 driven by the engine 10 , a battery 14 , and an electronic control unit (hereinafter sometimes called “ECU”) 16 for controlling operation of these elements. The ECU 16 is a microcomputer including, inter alia, at least a processor (CPU) 16 a and at least one memory (ROM, RAM) 16 b connected to the processor 16 a . The engine generator unit 12 is equipped with an alternator 20 and a power conversion unit 22 .

The engine 10 is, for example, a spark ignition, air cooled, gasoline fueled engine with pistons (not shown) that reciprocate inside cylinders and a crankshaft (output shaft; not shown) that rotates synchronously with the pistons. Rotation of the engine 10 is regulated by a throttle valve 10 a driven by an actuator.

Motive power of the engine 10 is transmitted through the crankshaft to drive the alternator 20 of the engine generator unit 12 . The alternator 20 , which is of multipolar type, comprises a rotor (not shown) that is connected to and rotated integrally with the crankshaft and is provided with permanent magnets therearound and a stator (not shown) that is arranged concentric with the rotor to face a peripheral surface thereof and is provided with UVW windings 20 a arranged at phase angles of 120 degrees as shown in FIG. 2 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the power conversion unit 22 comprises a rectifier 22 a , a direct current unit 22 b , an inverter 22 c and a wave shaping circuit 22 d.

The rectifier 22 a is constituted of a hybrid bridge rectifier circuit comprising bridge connected thyristors SCR 1 , SCR 2 and SCR 3 and diodes D 1 , D 2 and D 3 .

Among the three phase windings 20 a of the alternator 20 , U phase component 20 a 1 is connected to the junction between SCR 1 and D 1 , V phase component 20 a 2 is connected to the junction between SCR 2 and D 2 , and W phase component 20 a 3 is connected to the junction between SCR 3 and D 3 .

The rectifier 22 a rectifies output of the alternator 20 and sends the rectified output to the direct current unit 22 b and also functions as drive means responsive to ON-OFF switching of SCR 1 to SCR 3 by the ECU 16 for converting DC output voltage from the battery 14 to three phase AC voltage applied to the alternator 20 . The direct current unit 22 b is formed by a capacitor C 1 .

The inverter 22 c comprises bridge-connected switching elements Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 and Q 4 and diodes connected in parallel with the switching elements. Output of the inverter 22 c is input to the wave shaping circuit 22 d comprising coils L 1 and L 2 and a capacitor C 2 . The stage following the wave shaping circuit 22 d is a load (electrical load) 24 .

The battery 14 is connected to the power conversion unit 22 through an isolated DC-DC converter 26 . The DC-DC converter 26 supplies power both ways between the battery 14 and the direct current unit 22 b . The DC-DC converter 26 corresponds to the charging power converter and the output power converter indicated in FIG. 1 .

The DC-DC converter 26 is equipped with a primary side low-voltage side winding 30 a and a secondary side high-voltage side winding 30 b of a transformer 30 and with a low-voltage side switching unit 30 c connected to the low-voltage side winding 30 a and a rectifier 30 d connected to the high-voltage side winding 30 b.

The low-voltage side switching unit 30 c comprises bridge-connected switching elements Q 5 , Q 6 , Q 7 and Q 8 and diodes connected in parallel with the switching elements. The rectifier 30 d comprises bridge-connected diodes D 4 , D 5 , D 6 and D 7 .

The high-voltage side winding 30 b incorporates an LC resonant circuit 30 f and smoothing capacitors C 3 and C 4 are connected to the low-voltage side switching unit 30 c and the rectifier 30 d . Switching elements Q 5 to Q 8 of the low-voltage side switching unit 30 c are ON-OFF controlled by the ECU 16 .

A charging circuit is formed on input-output sides of a second transformer 32 . The charging circuit comprises a switching element Q 9 provided on input side of the second transformer 32 and a capacitor C 5 and switching element Q 10 provided on output side thereof. The ECU 16 ON-OFF controls the switching element Q 9 to store DC voltage in the capacitor C 5 and adjusts the stored voltage to a value suitable for charging the battery 14 by ON-OFF controlling the switching element Q 10 .

The ECU 16 synchronously drives the switching elements so that the DC-DC converter 26 performs power conversion in both directions.

In the illustrated configuration, therefore, when residual charge of the battery 14 is below predetermined value and generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is adequate, output voltage of the direct current unit 22 b is stepped up by the DC-DC converter 26 and input to the battery 14 (to charge the battery 14 ), while when residual charge of the battery 14 is high, output voltage of the direct current unit 22 b augments (assists) output voltage of the engine generator unit 12 , whereby power is supplied from the battery 14 to the load 24 via the DC-DC converter 26 , the inverter 22 c and the wave shaping circuit 22 d.

In the power conversion unit 22 , output voltage of the rectifier 22 a is smoothed and adjusted by the direct current unit 22 b , converted to AC power of predetermined frequency by the inverter 22 c as elaborated later, and supplied to the load 24 through the wave shaping circuit 22 d.

An engine speed detector 34 constituted of a magnetic pickup or the like provided in the engine 10 , specifically near the stator of the alternator 20 , detects rotational speed of the engine 10 commensurate with rotor rotational speed, and a power conversion unit output detector 36 constituted of a voltage-amperage sensor or the like provided in the power conversion unit 22 detects, inter alia, inter-terminal voltage of the capacitor C 1 of the direct current unit 22 b and generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 .

A load output detector 40 constituted of a voltage-amperage sensor or the like provided upstream of the load 24 detects output required by the load 24 .

A battery output detector 42 constituted of a voltage-amperage sensor or the like provided downstream of the DC-DC converter (output power converter) 26 detects power output (discharged) from the battery 14 , and a battery state of charge detector 44 constituted of a voltage-amperage sensor or the like suitably installed at the battery 14 detects state of charge (SOC) of the battery 14 .

Moreover, a battery output instruction unit 46 that instructs output (discharge) of the battery 14 is provided in the DC-DC converter (output power converter) 26 .

An actuator of the throttle valve 10 a of the engine 10 is connected to a throttle opening instruction unit 50 and opening-closing of throttle valve 10 a is adjusted to correct throttle opening by driving the actuator in accordance with output of the throttle opening instruction unit 50 .

Outputs of the aforesaid detectors are inputted to the ECU 16 . The ECU 16 controls inter-terminal voltage of the capacitor C 1 detected in the engine generator unit 12 to constant value irrespective of increase-decrease of load 24 and ON-OFF controls the switching elements Q 1 to Q 4 so that AC power output from the inverter 22 c matches load output demand from (output required by) the load 24 at desired frequency.

Based on the received sensor outputs, the ECU 16 also operates through the battery output instruction unit 46 to instruct battery 14 output (discharge) and operates through the throttle opening instruction unit 50 to adjust throttle opening and control engine speed.

Moreover, as discussed later, the processor 16 a in the ECU 16 operates in accordance with a program stored in the memory 16 b to function as a battery SOC detecting unit 16 a 1 that detects residual charge of the battery 14 , a generated power output detecting unit 16 a 2 that detects generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 , a load output demand detecting/control unit 16 a 3 that detects load output demand from (output required by) the load 24 and ON-OFF controls the switching elements Q 1 to Q 4 of the power conversion unit 22 so that AC power outputted from the inverter 23 c matches the detected load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load at desired frequency, a charge implementation unit 16 a 4 that implements low-load charging of the battery if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is equal to or greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is less than a predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery is equal to or less than a first threshold value, and a charge termination unit 16 a 5 that terminates low-load charging of the battery when the aforesaid detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value. In other words, a configuration is adopted whereby residual charge of the battery 14 is detected, generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is detected, load output demand from (output required by) the load 24 is detected, and if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is equal to or greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is less than a predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery being equal to or less than a first threshold value, low-load charging of the battery is implemented, and when the aforesaid detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value, low-load charging of the battery is terminated.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing operation of the controller of the engine generator 1 according an embodiment, more specifically processing operations of the ECU 16 , and FIG. 4 is a time chart for explaining the processing of FIG. 3 .

To explain with reference to FIG. 3 , is determined in S 10 whether residual charge of the battery 14 detected by the battery state of charge detector 44 is equal to or less than a first threshold value (S: processing Step). The first threshold value is shown at the top of FIG. 4 . In this specification, residual charge of the battery 14 is expressed as ratio (%) relative to fully charged state of the battery 14 .

When the result in S 10 is NO, the program goes to S 12 to transition to normal driving without charging the battery 14 , and when YES, goes to S 14 to determine (discriminate) whether generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 detected by the power conversion unit output detector 36 is equal to or greater than load output demand from (output required by) the load 24 detected by the load output detector 40 . In FIG. 4 , generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is indicated by a one-dot-dashed line and load output demand is indicated by a solid line.

When the result in S 14 is NO, the program goes to S 12 , and when YES, goes to S 16 to determine (discriminate) whether detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is equal to or less than a predetermined low-load value a. Low-load value a is indicated at the bottom of FIG. 4 .

When the result in S 16 is YES, the program goes to S 18 to implement low-load charging of the battery 14 . Since the engine generator unit 12 has surplus power capacity during low-load charging, more power can be charged than by high-load charging discussed later.

Next, in S 20 , it is determined (discriminated) whether detected residual charge of the battery 14 has become greater than the first threshold value.

When the result in S 20 is YES, the program goes to S 22 to terminate the low-load charging of the battery 14 implemented in S 18 , and when NO, skips the processing of S 22 .

On the other hand, when the result in S 16 is NO, the program goes to S 24 to determine (discriminate) whether detected residual charge of the battery 14 has become less that a second threshold value, then goes to S 26 to implement high-load charging when the result is YES and goes to S 12 when the result is NO. The second threshold value is shown at the top of FIG. 4 . As illustrated, the second threshold value is set lower than the first threshold value.

Next, the program goes to S 28 to determine (discriminate) whether detected residual charge of the battery 14 has become equal to or greater than the second threshold value. When the result in S 28 is YES, the program goes to S 30 to terminate the high-load charging of the battery 14 implemented in S 26 , and when NO, skips the processing of S 28 .

After executing either of S 22 and S 30 , the program goes to S 32 to determine whether a shutdown signal was input, and when the result is YES, operation of the generator 1 is terminated, and when NO, the program returns to S 10 to repeat the aforesaid processing.

Now to explain the foregoing in line with the time chart of FIG. 4 , at time t 0 , since load output demand exceeds generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 , maximum discharge power is output from the battery 14 in order to assist the generator 1 .

When, at time t 1 , battery residual charge falls to first threshold value or less and load output demand falls to less than generated power output, i.e., when generated power output is equal to or greater than load output demand and the engine generator 1 therefore has surplus power capacity, discharge from the battery 14 is terminated and low-load charging of the battery 14 is implemented.

At time t 2 , since residual charge of the battery 14 is greater than first threshold value, low-load charging of the battery 14 is terminated. Although the time at which residual charge of the battery 14 becomes greater than the first threshold value is earlier than time t 2 , low-load charging is continued to the utmost possible so long as the battery 14 does not become fully charged.

Between time t 2 and t 3 , no charging is performed and between time t 3 and t 4 , similarly to between time t 0 and t 1 , maximum power is discharged from the battery 14 in order to assist the generator 1 .

Actual discharge and charge of the battery 14 is performed by the ECU 16 , by controlling operation of the DC-DC converter 26 .

Next, at time t 4 , when the generator 1 is in high-load region, residual charge of the battery 14 becomes less than the second threshold value set lower than the first threshold value, and high-load charging of the battery 14 is performed because the generator 1 has surplus power capacity owing to generated power output being equal to or greater than load output demand.

At time t 5 , high-load charging is terminated because residual charge of the battery 14 is equal to or greater than the second threshold value (is actually equal to the first threshold value). During the ensuing period between time t 5 and t 6 , discharge is not performed because the required conditions are not met. Namely, although value of battery residual charge is equal to the first threshold value, low-load charging is not performed because the engine generator 1 has no surplus capacity.

Next, at time t 6 , battery residual charge becomes equal to or less than the first threshold value (actually becomes equal to the first threshold value) and low-load charging of the battery 14 is implemented because the engine generator 1 has capacity to spare owing to generated power output being equal to or greater than load output demand.

In other words, although battery residual charge value is equal to the first threshold value and is not necessarily inadequate, the engine generator unit 12 of the generator 1 is operating in low-load region, so the low-load charging implemented between time t 1 and t 2 is positively utilized.

Next, at time t 7 , charging is terminated because the battery 14 is fully charged and further charging is impossible.

By this embodiment, noise increase can be avoided by minimizing engine speed because the adopted configuration responds to residual charge of the battery 14 falling to or less than the first threshold value by positively implementing low-load charging of the battery 14 when generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is equal to or greater than load output demand and equal to or less than predetermined low-load value a.

As described in the foregoing, the embodiment is configured such that, the controller of the hybrid-type generator 1 having the battery 14 and the engine generator unit 12 driven by the engine 10 and equipped with the power conversion unit 22 including the alternator 20 and the inverter 22 c having switching elements Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , the DC-DC converter 26 connected between the battery 14 and the power conversion unit 22 , and an electrical load connected to the engine generator unit 12 , comprise: the battery SOC detecting unit ( 16 a 1 , 44 , S 10 ) that detects residual charge of the battery 14 ; the generated power output detecting unit ( 16 a 2 , 36 , S 14 ) that detects generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 ; the load output demand detecting/control unit ( 16 a 3 , 40 , S 14 ) that detects load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load 24 and ON-OFF controls the switching elements Q 1 to Q 4 of the power conversion unit 22 so that AC power outputted from the inverter matches the detected load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load 24 at desired frequency; the charge implementation unit ( 16 a 4 , S 10 to S 18 , S 20 , S 24 to S 30 ) that implements low-load charging of the battery 14 if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is equal to or greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is less than the predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery is equal to or less than the first threshold value unless the battery is determined to be fully charged from the detected residual charge of the battery; and the charge termination unit ( 16 a 5 , S 22 ) that terminates low-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value. With this, the battery 14 can be proactively charged during low load so as to minimize engine speed and avoid noise increase,

Moreover, the charge implementation unit is configured to respond to the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becoming less than the second threshold value, set lower than the first threshold value, by implementing high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is not equal to or less than the predetermined low-load value a but equal to or greater than the detected load output demand (S 24 to S 28 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, the residual charge of the battery 14 is prevented from becoming zero because the battery is charged in the high-load region when residual charge of the battery 14 additionally decreases.

Moreover, a configuration is adopted whereby the charge termination unit terminates high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold value (S 28 , S 30 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, noisy high-load charging can be minimized to the utmost possible.

As described in the foregoing, the embodiment is configured such that control method of the hybrid-type generator 1 having the battery 14 and the engine generator unit 12 driven by the engine 10 and equipped with the power conversion unit 22 including the alternator 20 and the inverter 22 c having switching elements Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , the DC-DC converter 26 connected between the battery 14 and the power conversion unit 22 , and an electrical load connected to the engine generator unit 12 , comprise; battery SOC detecting step (S 10 ) that detects residual charge of the battery 14 ; generated power output detecting step (S 14 ) that detects generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 ; load output demand detecting/control step ( 16 a 3 , 40 , S 14 ) that detects load output demand from the electrical load 24 and ON-OFF controls the switching elements Q 1 to Q 4 of the inverter 22 so that AC power outputted from the inverter matches the detected load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load 24 at desired frequency; the charge implementation step (S 16 to S 18 , S 20 , S 24 to S 30 ) that implements low-load charging of the battery 14 if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is less than the predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery is equal to or less than the first threshold value unless the battery is determined to be fully charged from the detected residual charge of the battery; and charge termination step (S 22 ) that terminates low-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value. With this, the battery 14 can be proactively charged during low load so as to minimize engine speed and avoid noise increase, as described in the foregoing,

Moreover, the charge implementation step is configured to respond to the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becoming less than the second threshold value, set lower than the first threshold value, by implementing high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is not equal to or less than the predetermined low-load value a but equal to or greater than the detected load output demand (S 24 to S 28 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, the residual charge of the battery 14 is prevented from becoming zero because the battery is charged in the high-load region when residual charge of the battery 14 additionally decreases.

Moreover, a configuration is adopted whereby the charge termination step terminates high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold value (S 28 , S 30 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, noisy high-load charging can be minimized to the utmost possible.

As described in the foregoing, the embodiment is configured such that controller of the hybrid-type generator 1 having the battery 14 and the engine generator unit 12 driven by the engine 10 and equipped with the power conversion unit 22 including the alternator 20 and the inverter 22 c having switching elements Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , the DC-DC converter 26 connected between the battery 14 and the power conversion unit 22 , and an electrical load connected to the engine generator unit 12 , comprise; the ECU 16 including, inter alia, at least a processor 16 a and at least one memory 16 b connected to the processor 16 a so that the processor 16 a in the ECU 16 operates in accordance with a program stored in the memory 16 b to function to detect residual charge of the battery 14 (S 10 ); detect generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 (S 14 ); detect load output demand from the load 24 (S 14 ) and ON-OFF controls the switching elements Q 1 to Q 4 of the inverter 22 so that AC power outputted from the inverter matches the detected load output demand from (output required by) the electrical load 24 at desired frequency; implement low-load charging of the battery 14 if the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit is equal to or greater than the detected load output demand and the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is less than the predetermined low-load value a, when the detected residual charge of the battery is equal to or less than the first threshold value unless the battery is determined to be fully charged from the detected residual charge of the battery (S 10 to S 18 , S 20 , S 24 to S 30 ); and terminate low-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery becomes greater than the first threshold value (S 22 ). With this, the battery 14 can be proactively charged during low load so as to minimize engine speed and avoid noise increase,

Moreover, the processor 16 a is configured to respond to the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becoming less than the second threshold value, set lower than the first threshold value, by implementing high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected generated power output of the engine generator unit 12 is not equal to or less than the predetermined low-load value a but equal to or greater than the detected load output demand (S 24 to S 28 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, the residual charge of the battery 14 is prevented from becoming zero because the battery is charged in the high-load region when residual charge of the battery 14 additionally decreases.

Moreover, the processor 16 a is configured to terminate high-load charging of the battery 14 when the detected residual charge of the battery 14 becomes equal to or greater than the second threshold value (S 28 , S 30 ), so that in addition to realizing the aforesaid effects, noisy high-load charging can be minimized to the utmost possible.

It should be noted in the above that the control illustrated in FIG. 4 is an example and the invention should not be limited thereto.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The inverter generator controller according to this invention can be optimally utilized in power generators driven by an engine.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

1 engine generator, 10 engine, 14 battery, 16 electronic control unit (ECU), 16 a processor, 16 b memory, 16 a 1 battery SOC detecting unit, 16 a 2 generated power output detecting unit, 16 a 3 load output demand detecting/control unit, 16 a 4 charge implementation unit, 16 a 5 charge termination unit, 20 alternator, 22 power conversion unit, 22 a rectifier, 22 b direct current unit, 22 c inverter, 22 d wave shaping circuit, 24 load, 26 DC-DC converter, 30 transformer, 32 second transformer, 34 engine speed detector, 36 power conversion unit output detector, 40 load output detector, 42 battery output detector, 44 battery stage of charge detector, 46 battery output instruction unit, 50 throttle opening instruction unit.